The Histological Study of the Structures of the Anterior Chamber Angle in the Children of Different Gestational Age Under the Normal Conditions and in the Presence of Congenital Glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose. The objective of the present study was to obtain and investigate the tissue samples taken from the anterior chamber angle of the children of different gestational age under the normal conditions and in the presence of congenital glaucoma; the secondary objective was to carry out the histological study of the pieces of tissues removed from the glaucoma patients of different gestational age undergoing hypotensive filtration surgery (sinusotrabeculectomy). Materials and methods. The anterior chamber angle histological preparations from a total of five enucleated eyes were available for the intravital investigation of the trabecular meshwork (two of them were obtained from the full-term infants and one from a premature baby). Results. The histological study of the structures of the anterior chamber angle of the enucleated eyes has demonstrated the presence in all the cases of cornea, Descemet’s membrane, trabecular meshwork, Schlemm’s canal, and iris. The morphological structure of the anterior chamber angle associated with congenital glaucoma shows up some peculiar features compared with the normal one, such as its block by the permanent fibrous membrane which penetrates deep into the trabecular meshwork that, in its turn, is formed from the rough and thickened tissue. The histological picture of the fetal eye at different gestational age exhibits the open anterior chamber angle, the well developed porous trabecular meshwork, and fragmentation of Descemet’s membrane near the trabecular meshwork. No signs of fibrous degeneration of the trabecule have been apparent. Conclusion. The intravital investigation of the trabecular meshwork has demonstrated some peculiar features that differ depending on the gestational age in birth. In the full-term babies, it is hypoplastic and covered with the rough fibrous membrane at certain places. Its histological picture is similar to that of the preparations of the enucleated eyes. In the premature babies, the trabecular meshwork is fibrous and characterized by enhanced cellularity; it undergoes fibrous degeneration that becomes apparent after the birth of the premature child (it is supposed to be related to the proliferative processes inherent in such babies).